Kempton, a wiry, 59-year-old renewable energy professor at the University of Delaware with round, wire-rimmed glasses, is the U.S.’ foremost proponent of what’s known as vehicle-to-grid technology. For ten years he’s been trying to convince utilities and automakers that electric cars could draw power at night, when power is cheaper, and then discharge some of that juice back into the grid during the day to balance supply and demand for electricity. Kempton’s theory is beginning to win applause from some car and utility folks, but daunting technical and economic obstacles
make it a tough sell.

Kempton argues his idea doesn’t have to wait for cheaper batteries, the main stumbling block to production of electric vehicles. He’s got a way, he says, for owners of electric cars to recoup the cost of even very expensive batteries, the ones with price tags in the $20,000 range. It involves using cars to supply a reserve of electric power that can smooth out minute-to-minute shortages in the transmission grid.

http://www.forbes.com/global/2008/0107/036.html

I am looking foreword to reading your book. I love your show and the squabbles between you and your wife and the competition between you and Bill Nye the Science Guy. I am looking forward to many more episodes. My fav shows are “Living With Ed” and “Wasted”. I have turned so green these past few months and the family has gone along without a fuss.

I have had the “Planet Green” channel about 5 months now. It has changed my lifestyle. One of the most profound things I have learnt is to feel good about what you are doing to become green and not to feel guilty about what you are not doing. I have learnt just to start some where and as time goes by I am adding more and more green changes in our lives. Last week I made my own laundry soap, it was easy, didn’t take long, I’m saving money and doing something good for the environment.

I am hoping that 1/3 to 1/2 of the people will get their own clean renewable energy systems rather than just waiting for huge monopolies to give us power. I think this would bring energy prices down and make us more self sufficient. When do you think the price of clean renewable energy such as solar panels will come down so the average person can purchase it? Which is best, to purchase or lease CRE? I think leasing it would keep us dependant on monopolies what do you think?

Forward thinker – that guy is.